Eva Longoria Mini-Series Films in Miami Beach:

Part of city's efforts to bring the film industry back

Filming is underway in Miami Beach for the new Eva Longoria TV mini-series, “Grand Hotel”. The show, set at the Fontainebleau, may become the first recipient of the City’s new film production incentive. Miami Beach Tourism, Culture, and Economic Development Director Eva Silverstein said, while the incentive is only $10,000, if the production meets the $1m minimum spend threshold, it would also be eligible for the County’s $100,000 incentive.

Silverstein said when she heard Longoria “really wanted to film it here in Miami Beach and make it Miami Beach-centric … I got to work on what kind of package we could possibly put together for them.”

The City has been working hard to re-establish the film production industry here after the State ended its film incentives. For the Longoria mini-series, Silverstein said “Honolulu offered a $1m cash incentive and, as you know, New York and LA are very competitive with us.”

Silverstein arranged “an incredible pro bono package at the Fontainebleau to shoot there for two weeks, literally in the busiest of times during spring break when they’re sold out, commandeering the pool, restaurant, and cabanas.”

Acording to Variety, ABC picked up the pilot for “Grand Hotel” which is “described as a soapy drama set against the backdrop of a Miami Beach hotel. It will center around the hotel, the family who owns the business, the staff who run it, and the explosive secrets they hide under the perfect exterior.” According to Variety, it is based on “Gran Hotel”, a Spanish series set in Spain at the turn of the 20th century.

Silverstein likened it to “Upstairs, Downstairs” with a Miami Beach Latino family that owns an iconic hotel. “Both the upstairs and downstairs are Latino,” she said.